Out of the Box
by Squarepeg72
Summary: A collection of poems, drabbles and one shote created where the HP amd Marvel Universes collide.


Written for Marvelously Magical FanFictions's Summer Fling 2018

 **New Worlds**

Pairing(s): T'Challa/Luna Lovegood

Summary: A walk in the gardens of Holland park turn into an introduction to magical creature and magic.

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"Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures." - Lovelle Drachman

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T'Challa looked around the gardens. He had taken to wandering through the Kyoto Gardens in Holland Park when he needed to think. He was in London for a conference on world trade, but his ministers took care of most of the negotiations. He was ready to head home to Wakanda. Duty demanded that he stay for the whole conference, even when he was eager to leave. Walking in the gardens seemed to settle his restless spirit.

"I know they are here." A soft voice drifted over the water. "Ollivander swears that they only pick the best trees for wands and he needs holly for this new batch of wands."

T'Challa looked across the lake to find the source of the voice. The only person he saw was a small, blonde woman with strange glasses. As he watched, she continued to wander among the bushes around the lake.

"Ollivander said he needed holly and oak from Holland Gardens," she continued to grumble. "It's not like Bowtruckles are easy to see at dusk."

Something about the way she was talking to herself intrigued T'Challa. She reminded him of his sister when she was in the middle of a new project. A wave of homesickness hit him as he watched her continue her search.

"Excuse me, miss," he spoke as he approached her. "I could not help but overhear you. Is there something I can help you find?"

Luna turned toward the voice that had floated across the lake. A tall man in African dress was walking towards her. She had not been expecting anyone to be in the park at dinner time. Why was he here?

"Do you know how to spot Bowtruckles?" Luna asked as she watched him make his way to her. "I need to gather materials for my apprenticeship, and Bowtruckles are the best way to find what I need."

"I am not sure what you are searching for, but I will try to help if you can describe it for me." T'Challa reached out his hand. "I'm T'Challa. What is a Bowtruckle?"

"It's a small creature that loves to live in trees with good wood." Luna grabbed and shook his hand. "I'm Luna. I need to find the trees that have Bowtruckles living in them. Mr Ollivander says trees favoured by Bowtruckles have the best wood for making wands."

"Wands? Why do you need to make wands?" T'Challa watched Luna's eyes twinkle with mirth. "The only people I have heard of using wands were witches and wizards in fairy tales."

"There are great truths to be found in fairy tales," Luna said as she watched confusion cloud his dark eyes. "Just as there are legends from dark places that are real. Like men who can become panthers, dark as the night."

"Kings have just as many legends to live up to as mere witches." Luna smiled and reached into her bag. "Help me find the Bowtruckles, and I will show you how many fairy tales are actually real."

"How did you know I was a king?" T'Challa took the strange glasses from Luna and put them on. "If I agree to help you, how can I trust what you tell me?"

"I am an apprentice wand maker and I will take you to meet my master," Luna smiled and turned back towards the dense trees. "Your picture has been in the Muggle and Magical news since you arrived in London. The Ministry likes to keep track of those with similar secrets."

"Shuri spoke of working with someone named Weasley at the Ministry?" T'Challa chuckled as he began to put pieces together. "I guess I need to clarify which Ministry the next time."

Luna laughed. "We are looking for little green limbs on the trees that look out of place. A Bowtruckle is similar to the insect muggles call a praying mantis. I just need to collect some holly and some oak branches for Mr Ollivander."

"Is this what we are looking for?" T'Challa held up a wigging branch. "It seems to be calling me names. We do not have creatures like this in Wakanda."

Luna looked at the grumbling branch he held in his hand. "Yes, it is. He needs some lessons in appropriate language. Which tree did you find him on?"

He pointed at the holly bush behind her. "He was hopping between those bushes. Is this the wood you were looking for?"

"Holly bushes, just what I needed." Luna took out her wand and waved it at the bushes he had pointed out. "Thank you. You can let him go now. It's time to get back and turn this over to my master."

"How far do you need to go?" T'Challa watched the wood-like creature scramble along the limbs of the holly bushes. "I have nowhere to be for several hours, and I would like to see more of London than this park."

"Do you get sick from travel?" Luna asked as she grabbed his sleeve.

"Not usually," T'Challa answered with a puzzled expression.

"Good. We can apparate to the shop." Luna grasped T'Challa's hand before she waved her wand, causing the air the simmer and pop.

Once they stopped moving, T'Challa put his hand on the brick wall as he waited for his stomach to return to the rest of his body. "What was that? Even Shuri has not found a way to travel like that."

"Welcome to Diagon Alley." Luna smiled as she watched his skin deepen back to its usual dark colour. "Apparating can take some getting used to, but it is the best way to travel over short distances when you are in a hurry."

"Remind me to never travel like that again," T'Challa gathered his thoughts and straightened his dashiki. "Where are we, exactly?"

"This is the Magical part of London, Diagon Alley. The shop I apprentice at is just around the corner. Mr Ollivander is expecting us."

Luna grabbed his hand and began to drag him through the streets to the wand shop. He kept trying to stop and watch the window displays. "How is any of this working? I can never let my sister come here. She would never want to leave."

Luna laughed as she pushed open the door to the wand shop. "Magic, T'Challa. This is where what you read in fairy tales meets the reality of the wizarding world. Come, meet Mr Ollivander."

"Back so soon, my dear?" a tired voice floated from the back of the shop. "I was not expecting you for a while yet."

"I had help finding the holly you needed," Luna answered as she took her bag from her shoulder and led the way through the cluttered aisles. "I've brought someone to meet you and learn about wands."

She motioned for T'Challa to follow her towards the curtain at the back of the shop. "Master Ollivander, this is T'Challa, King of Wakanda and the Black Panther. T'Challa, this is Master Garrick Ollivander, master wandmaker and magical innovator."

"Master." T'Challa nodded in Ollivander's direction.

"Your Majesty." Ollivander mirrored T'Challa's greeting. "What can this humble wand shop do for you?"

"I was curious how this magic works," T'Challa looked around the store. "My sister would love to see how all of this works."

"Perhaps, we could find you a wand." Ollivander shuffled over to a shelf full of slender boxes. "I can feel a magic in you. I think this one - ebony with Wampus cat hair, twelve inches."

Ollivander placed a slender box with a dark wand nestled inside in front of T'Challa. "Pick it up, Your Majesty. It is the only way to see if it is yours."

T'Challa let his hand float over the wand. Gingerly, he slid his fingers around the grip of the wand and lifted it from the box. Nothing happened. "Sir? Is it supposed to do anything?"

"All this means is that is is not meant for you. The wand chooses the wizard," Ollivander took the piece of wood from T'Challa, looking over the shelves. "Shall we try laurel with a White River Monster spine core, fourteen inches?"

"Honorable and elegant," Luna whispered as she placed the box on the counter. "Go ahead. Try it."

"I am not so sure your magic will work for me." T'Challa gripped the wand firmly and lifted it from the box. A tingle of electricity worked it's way from his fingers to his shoulder, but nothing else. He placed the wand back in the box. "I don't think this one is the right one either."

"Have no fear," Ollivander continued to mutter as he ran his finger along the shelves. "Your wand is here somewhere. Ahh, this is it."

Ollivander laid a battered box beside the others on the counter. "Cherry wood with a Thunderbird tail feather core. Thirteen inches."

T'Challa looked at the wand nestled in the box. The dark, warm wood seemed to call to him, just like the heart shape herb had called to him in the sacred cavern. "What if this does not work?'

"Then we will continue to search." Ollivander took the wand from the box and laid it in T'Challa's hand. "There is magic inside you. We just have to find the right material to help you harness it."

T'Challa could feel the wand sing as he wrapped his fingers around the grip. A panther's growl filled the shop as the wand began to glow purple.

"The wand has chosen well, Your Majesty." Ollivander quietly began to replace the other wands on the shelf. "Miss Lovegood should help you learn how to use it. How long will you be with us?"

T'Challa continued to stare at the wand he held in his hand, even as the glow faded. "Shuri is going to kill me. How am I going to carry this along with everything else? What am going to do with this?"

"I can teach you," Luna said as she looked over to Ollivander. "How much time do you have?"

"I have to return to Wakanda in a few days," T'Challa looked down at the wand he still held. "I am supposed to be finding people with knowledge of mystical plants to help restore the caves where the heart-shaped herb is grown. I was not supposed to find a wand."

"You are in luck, my boy," Ollivander chuckled, turning back to face T'Challa. "My apprentice is very knowledgeable in mystical plants and creatures. If you will allow her to research new plants and creatures in your country for wand making properties, I will let her travel with you to help heal your caves and teach you to use your wand."

"Can you do that, Luna?" T'Challa asked. "I do not want to take you away if you are needed here."

"I would be honoured." Luna smiled she watched him inspect his wand. "Let's get you back to the Muggle part of London before your people come hunting for you."

"Can you be ready to leave in three days?" T'Challa continued to question Luna. "What will your family say? What will Mother say? How will I keep Shuri from coming here for her own wand?"

"Master Ollivander will let my father and friends know where I have gone. My father tends not to worry about such things." Luna tapped his shoulder. "You need to get back before someone really misses you. A trip to the Leaky Cauldron and then you can call someone to come and get you."

"I suppose that will be acceptable," T'Challa said as he looked down at the wand he still held. "How do I carry this without others knowing?"

"Hold out your arm," Luna slipped her wand from the hidden pocket in her sleeve. "I need to alter your sleeve just a little." With a flick of her wrist a whispered _Abiciendi_ , Luna created a wand pocket his sleeve. "Can you feel the pocket in your sleeve? Just slide your wand into it."

T'Challa looked at the pocket that had appeared inside his sleeve. "How will this hold my wand without making my arm look stiff? How do I keep the wand from falling out of the pocket?"

"Trust me?" Luna asked as she began to slide the wand into the pocket she had created. "Magic. I have a good friend who perfected spells that create pockets of space to hold more than they look like they can."

"Thank you," T'Challa moved his arm, trying to get the wand to fall out of the pocket or cause issues with his range of motion. "How much do I owe you for the wand, Master Ollivander? Like Luna has said, I do need to get back to my people."

"It is my honour to provide your wand to you," Ollivander bowed to T'Challa. "I am sure we can come to an agreement if my apprentice finds useful materials in your country. One that will benefit us both."

T'Challa inclined his head towards Ollivander. "I appreciate the loan of your apprentice. I am looking forward to working with you in the future, Master Ollivander."

"Shall we go," Luna asked T'Challa. "I need to get you back to your people and prepare for our adventure."

"After you, my lady," T'Challa swept his arm toward to door of the shop. "Until we meet again, sir."

"Safe journey, Your Majesty," Ollivander called after T'Challa and Luna as they left the shop. "Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures."


End file.
